The postings of a customs lawyer in Chicago on the state of customs law and international trade law. Important Disclaimer: None of this is legal advice, don't act on it. Don't ascribe these statements to my law firm, its partners or clients. Don't steal from my blog. I wrote it, I own it. But, feel free to link to me. Also, under the rules regulating speech by attorneys, this blog may be construed as lawyer advertising. I am the sole party responsible for the content.

Thursday, June 02, 2005

Sweet Trade Article

The New York Times ran a good article today on the sugar lobby and the future of the Central America Free Trade Agreement. The article is notable in that it focuses on three of my favorite things: sugar, trade, and Chicago. The gist is that the powerful sugar lobby, which has been fighting CAFTA, is losing its clout to sugar consumers like the candy and soft drink industries. This is a truism of all trade disputes: for every producer of raw materials that wants trade-related protection, there is a consumer industry trying to get cheaper access to the same product. The winner is usually industry with more clout. Chicago, a center of candy production, is on the front lines of this particular fight.